Michelle Dockery: Downton Abbey star's fiance dies aged 34

Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery's fiance has died aged just 34.

John Dineen passed away on Sunday morning in a hospice in Ireland after a long illness.

Dockery, who played Lady Mary Crawley on the hit ITV series, has appealed for privacy ahead of her fiance's funeral in County Cork on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Dockery - who turned 34 today - told ITV News:

The couple met in September 2013 after being introduced by co-star Allen Leech, who starred as Tom Branson in the period drama.

Dockery and Dinnen are believed to have got engaged earlier this year.

The award-winning actress, who rarely spoke publicly about their relationship, said she had a "wonderful man in my life from Ireland" in an interview over a year ago.